Friendship, success, family, purpose and love. (Oh yeah, and a sexy body.) Everybody wants some of that, right? This blog is about one woman's endeavor to find, and deal with, all of those things — and the never-ending struggle to keep her apartment clean.

Flying Lotus, Bitches!

July 15, 2016

Look what I did today! Yes, my entire butt is off the floor, and my knees. I am holding myself up with JUST MY HANDS!

Life Milestone Complete!

So, here’s the whole story if you want it (warning, it is kind of a long story): The first day (Monday) I saw Yorleny do this and I thought, “How is she doing that?” I also thought a lot of the things that I frequently think when I see a challenge: I can’t do that; It’s going to take forever; I’ll have to work WAY to hard for that. And on, and on.

I had lots of similar thoughts while trying the pose each day. I had almost convinced myself that my arms were too short.

But, I had asked the important question: HOW. And my brain was working on the answer. As I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep on Tuesday and Wednesday, I found myself thinking about yoga class and the coming morning. I kept coming back to this pose and having sort of a fight with myself about it.

“That pose is CRAZY.”

“But it’s possible, ‘Leny did it.”

“She’s like a skinny little yoga master. Do you really think you can do what she does?”

“I’m strong I can do this.”

“Strong and…chubby. You will have to lose a lot of weight before you can do what that little lady does. And you’ll have to practice for years, not weeks.”

“Well, I can practice and get closer — improve anyway.”

“I guess.”

Those silly voices. Once it subsided on Wednesday night, I imagined myself in the pose for a while, and I realized that I was flexing my stomach muscles as I was laying in bed.

So, yesterday (Thursday) I focused a little more on my stomach during my whole practice. I got part of myself off the ground.

Today, I looked across at Erin and her friend Jamie, and they had both put their legs into a full lotus. I had just been doing a half lotus, because I knew I could do a half lotus.

So, I tried a full lotus. I thought I could at least get myself off the ground, even if my knees were on the ground.

It took me a while to get my hands in a good spot (I have long fingernails, short arms and weak wrists). I did I bit of a push with my arms and then I thought, flex your stomach. TRY!

And I did it. Everyone else was getting down by the time I was up, but I didn’t want to get out of the pose! It was actually way easier than I had feared! I made eye contact briefly with Alicia (our instructor today), and just started to cry when she smiled at me!

NAMASTE, BABY!

I am strong.
I am healthy.
I am beautiful.
I can do more, if I let myself imagine more!